The Aviva Premiership Play Offs are unfair...

You couldn't make this up....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/29094238

Saracens are now against the play offs and don't think we should have them.  Whether we should or not, this once again smacks of Saracens wanting to serve their own self interest rather than protection of the integrity of our sport, which they claim it to be.

I would say the championship promotion play offs are FAR FAR worse!

Sarries just spitting their dummy out because they havent won the play offs!

I read this and although I dislike play offs in other sports I completely disagree with the points from Saracens. Rugby is affected throughout the season by internationals like no other sport and if there were no play offs there would be a greater risk that best team doesn't win due to the fact they are (perversely) successful in nurturing their players onto bigger things. It's not perfect but better than the alternative for me.

I agree slightly in that I do feel that there is a financial/'product' reason for the playoffs. But I am now used to them and think it provides a good showpiece for the end to the season. Of course there was previously the cup for that, but sadly that has fallen by the wayside.

The article does sound like a Sarries moan though, its hard to imagine the comment would have been made if they had won the double. More likely it would have been about the 'wolfpack', the team crèche and mid season booze ups.

The only team that can moan is Tigers, the rest of us voted for them and in part due to the financial reasons, so it is a pointless and already addressed argument.

HongKongCherry wrote:The only team that can moan is Tigers, the rest of us voted for them and in part due to the financial reasons, so it is a pointless and already addressed argument.

we're allowed to moan about something!!!!

It's a shame this has only come to light following Saracens topping the table twice but failing to win the league twice (I think). If they had said it when they weren't topping the table (and they might have, just not given air time) it would have been taken on board more.

Hold on....
Did someone from Saracens really say this? Are they going for some "Guinness book of records" irony record?

"It's only there for money reasons and we don't think if anything is done purely for money it's the right thing."  

"I think in rugby we have got something quite precious beyond the money," he added. "We have got a kind of discipline, an integrity and a decency within the sport that I think football hasn't got, that football lost some time ago.

"That's our special thing that we have got within rugby and we need to protect at all costs."

Saracens are the super villen of the Aviva , throw loads of PR stunts , do loads of community work and then throw something out there like this!

Oh Sarries, why do you do this sort of thing?
You actually are a really good community club - I know I'm dealing with them at the moment and then you go and do something like this, that really hacks off all the other teams and supporters.
Mind you it's still less embarrasing than the "row" between the mascots on the website.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:Hold on....
Did someone from Saracens really say this? Are they going for some "Guinness book of records" irony record?

"It's only there for money reasons and we don't think if anything is done purely for money it's the right thing."  

"I think in rugby we have got something quite precious beyond the money," he added. "We have got a kind of discipline, an integrity and a decency within the sport that I think football hasn't got, that football lost some time ago.

"That's our special thing that we have got within rugby and we need to protect at all costs."

It seems to me that what Sarries have got that is quite precious is their marketing department.

While maybe it doesn't jst apply to the Premiership, but the Pro 12 as well, I've always though they should introduce a Minor Premiership prize and trophy.

I understand that the Prem used to do this and people go confused over it. But with the play-offs being well established in both leagues now I think fans and teams would grasp the Minor Premiership idea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_premiership

Although the concept of a minor premiership exists in North America, and a separate award is often presented for the best record in the regular season, the term "minor premiership" is not used. The Presidents' Trophy is awarded by the National Hockey League to the team which finishes first in the standings at the end of the season, as are the Supporters' Shield in Major League Soccer and the NWSL Shield in the National Women's Soccer League.


I like the idea of the team topping the table being adwarded a shield

Can't say I am surprised by Edward Griffith's comments.

He's a wind up merchant.

I do agree jenifer. A lot of what he says is ironic.

Discipline, integrity,decency? Ha ha.

Instead of moaning about the AP playoff system - run the club better - actually treating Sarries supporters well would be a start!

Kingshu wrote:I like the idea of the team topping the table being adwarded a shield

Prepared to be corrected but I think they do this in Super League - there's a shield for winning the league and a trophy for winning the play-offs.

nathan wrote:

HongKongCherry wrote:The only team that can moan is Tigers, the rest of us voted for them and in part due to the financial reasons, so it is a pointless and already addressed argument.

we're allowed to moan about something!!!!

 Injuries.....Salary Cap...... League play offs..... Internationals....